Busan Friday: Race-By-Race Preview (February 24)

There used to be a saying among certain Korean punters that at Seoul you bet the jockeys while at Busan you bet the trainers. As we head into this weekend (11 races at Busan on Friday from 11:30 to 18:00), that may not be the case anymore.

Yonekura Satoshi is one of a number of in-form jockeys at Busan right now (Pic: Ross Holburt)

Of course, it’s probably best to bet the numbers (although my own personal strategy used to be to bet whichever one had a funny sounding name) but there was an element of truth in it; the top trainers were at Busan while the top Korean jockeys were at Seoul.

The top trainers are still at Busan in the shape of Kim Young Kwan, Peter Wolsley, Bart Rice and Thomas Gillespie but increasingly the jockeys are too and the news that Moon Se Young is Singapore-bound further drains the Seoul talent-pool which lost Jo In Kwen, Jo Sung Gon and Ham Wan Sik – all capable Korean jockeys – to the south coast at the start of the year. That’s all to Busan’s benefit.

With Yonekura Satoshi in superb form and newcomers Marios Mina and Andrea Mezzatesta getting off the mark last week while Darryll Holland continues to do what Darryll Holland does, the Busan weighing room is as competitive as it has ever been. With the exception of Jo, all will be in action on Friday. English race cards are here, notes on races scheduled for overseas simulcast are below:

Race 4: Class 6 / 1600M / Handicap / KRW 22 Million

1. HAPPY LIGHT – Beaten few in five outings. First time at a mile and needs to show more.

2. VICTORY DAY – Three figure odds for all five starts and a long shot here too.

3. GOLDEN BULLET – Much improved 4th on first try at distance and a contender today.

4. GEUMBIT HWANHO – 2nd over 1300M on Jan 20th, first time at a mile today. Should be close.

5. URI GIPPEUM – 8th of 12 in both tries at the distance so needs to up game.

6. TIME CASTLE – Gone close before and up to a mile for the first time may well suit.

7. ONNURI GANGJA – Yet to finish in the money and has a lot to find.

8. EGSEU BAND – Lost his way a little after promising start. Can improve on first try at a mile.

Verdict: Small field of which half look to have claims. (6) TIME CASTLE has gone close on a number of occasions and while she was beaten by (4) GEUMBIT HWANHO last start, the extra distance today may make the distance. Both will be in contention as should (3) GOLDEN BULLET and (8) EGSEU BAND.

8. PERFECT HUMOR – Has run well in two starts since resuming. Could go close.

9. CHASEDAE – Poor manners in losing effort last month and sent back to trial. Hard to back here.

10. GAMSEONG POKBAL – Can’t be recommended on recent form.

11. LUCKY JILJU – Improved 5th last start. Yet to win in 17 but not impossible.

12. FIVEFOLD – Winner on debut, up in class & distance but can win again.

Verdict: Looks to be between the foreign trainers. Bart Rice’s (12) FIVEFOLD was a four-length winner on debut on December 13th and should have no concerns over the increase in both class and distance. Also up in class is Thomas Gillespie’s (3) SEGI GANGJA. His ground-out win last start on his first try at 1200M had been coming and he could make further progress today. The others will all need to improve on recent form with (6) SAEBYEOK STAR, (8) PERFECT HUMOR and (11) LUCKY JILJU having the strongest claims to do so.

4. RICH MONEY – Made all to win by 4-lengths at the distance on Feb 3rd. Up in class but solid chance.

5. YUSEONG FIRST – Underperformed last start but can be given another chance here.

6. BIG GOLD – Overmatched so far at this level.

7. OH DAEBAK – Gone very cold in recent starts. Back up in trip may help but an outsider.

8. MAJESTIC POWER – 57th start today, occasionally snatches some minor money but can’t be recommended for more than that.

9. HALLAUI DOLPUNG – Not impressed in three outings since resuming from lengthy layoff.

10. GEUMTE – Maiden winner on penultimate start at this distance. Did ok on first try at class 5 so has a chance.

11. MAIN VICAR – Solid if unspectacular effort last start. Should beat a few.

12. SEONGGONG PLAN – Maiden winner at the distance on Jan 6th. Beaten by Geumte last time. Can improve.

Verdict: An all-the-way winner at the distance on what was just his second start leads (4) RICH MONEY to be the choice to score once more. He’s up in class but faces less than spectacular opposition here and should win easily. (10) GEUMTE can get close while (11) MAIN VICAR has done well in reasonably tough company of late and can look to place. (5) YUSEONG FIRST looks best of the rest.

8. USEUNG CHOEGO – 5th in both tries at class 4, including one at this distance. Should look to at least match.

9. MUJEOKUI SAMSON – Scoreless in 12, he’ll be on the early speed but distance a question.

10. FOXY BULLET – Beaten few in three prior starts.

11. HEUMUT – Much improved 2nd beating Haetbal last time. 1800M should benefit and he has claims.

12. GLOBAL CHAMPION – Well down the field in all three outings.

Verdict: Interesting contest here with a number having chances. (4) BAEKDU YEONGUNG and (5) ARION METAL are both zero for thirteen coming into today but both enter in form and try 1800M for the first time. It could be what they have been waiting for. If they fall short again, (11) HEUMUT looks best placed to take advantage. He beat a couple of these at a mile last time and should be prominent throughout. (2) REALLY ONE and (8) USEUNG CHOEGO others with chances.

10. MUHAN YEOLJEONG – Already a winner and runner-up at class and distance. The one to beat.

11. SEVEN PARTY – Looks to have another win in him having gone close in recent outings.

12. BETTER THAN YOU – Not been better than many lately but not without talent.

Verdict: This one is (10) MUHAN YEOLJEONG’S to lose. 3rd in December’s Breeders’ Cup race and then winner of a decent race at class and distance on New Year’s Eve, he didn’t quite manage to follow up when once again favourite in a similar event on January 20th. (5) BULLKOT NORI also looks to be on the up and can be forgiven his last start while (11) SEVEN PARTY should be close too (6) JAYU DAERO usually gives an honest account of himself and cold find the places.

10. SUPER BLADE – Up in class following two wins in last three and she’s in the frame again here.

11. LOAD CELL – 2nd to Gabo Star last time and in good form.

12. DAEBOREUMDAL – Took 21 tries to get her maiden win but now she’s won 2 of her last 3. Up in class here though.

Verdict: This is a nicely competitive race in which any number have claims. (2) LIMITLESS WIN can overturn last month’s form on (1) KKEUTPAN BOOSTER though to record his 5th win on what is his 10th start. A threat is stablemate (6) GIGA SPEED who is super-reliable and will surely be involved in the finish. Then there’s (3) GABO STAR, who beat three of these when winning at 1200M last time out and enters in good form. Also not to be ruled out is the up in class (10) SUPER BLADE. The lightly raced 4-year-old is nicely weighted and looks on the way up.

Verdict: Another competitive affair and while (7) TRIPLE YEONGGWANG never got going in a tough race at 1800M last month, he is favourite to return to winning ways today at a more favourable distance and in more amenable company. (1) WORLD QUEEN was 2nd at the distance last start and should be competitive from the front here while (5) COWBOY CAPTAIN has been coming close in good company and will be a factor. Lots of others have placing chances.

1. JUNGANG CHAMP – Returns from an 8-month layoff. First start for new trainer, trialled up well.

2. SUPER STORM – Beaten by 6 of these on Jan 20th so has plenty of form to overturn.

3. YESURI MYEONGUN – 6th among the 7 of these who ran on Jan 20th but can improve today.

4. WORLD LOVE – 4th of the 7 on the Jan 20th race and can be competitive.

5. SAEROUN BEOPCHIK – Beaten by a lot of these in both his latest starts.

6. JIBONG MANSE – On a downward trajectory of late.

7. RISING CHAMP – Three wins from five, solid 3rd on first try at this class behind two very good ones on Dec 30th and the one to beat today.

8. GABOGAPJJANG – 4th in the Jan 20th race. Never too far away and in the frame again.

9. YUSEONGCHEOREOM – Run of three wins came to an end on Jan 20th. Should be involved here.

10. SINHEUNG GOSU – Well back on Jan 20th and patchy form prior. Outsider.

11. UBAKI – Surprise 2nd on Jan 20th and must be respected today.

12. JANTEUGAREU – 5 wins from 10. A little disappointing when 6th behind Rising Champ and Gabogapjjang on Dec 30th but can go close here.

Verdict: There are a couple of races of reference. Five of these raced each other at 1400M on December 30th with (7) RISING CHAMP being the best place-getter in 3rd. Then on January 20th, seven of them raced against each other at this distance with (11) UBAKI being the surprising best in 2nd place. Ubaki probably won’t be favoured to strike again but Rising Champ will be and looks the one to beat. (9) YUSEONGCHEOREOM saw a run of three straight victories come to an end on January 20th but can get close once more today while (8) GABOGAPJJANG and (12) JANTEUGAREU also have claims in another very competitive contest.